Dan Clark Stealth Review (State of the Art Headphone)

[F1308]

Nothing about the Auto EQ list or site could be described as a "review". Anything with a pref score of (I think if I recall correctly) 80 or more should be considered a decent fit to Harman- use it as a guide for what not to look at more than an absolute guide as to the "best".

A critical evaluation of curves is a review and if you add a pack offering a basic series of proposals to amend them then is a review with a proposal.

 

[sprellemannen]

Also, look what I got-

View attachment 225889

I want to warn everybody against buying that Woo Audio headphone stand because of its sharp edges: It scratched the cables of my previous headphones so much that I had to replace them.

 

[Jimbob54]

A critical evaluation of curves is a review and if you add a pack offering a basic series of proposals to amend them then is a review with a proposal.

Im still not sure what point you were trying to make with :

"don't tell me it doesn't turns out a bit strange that a headphone rated hereabouts as top notch is found down there at 29th in a headphone review analyzing dozens"

Are you suggesting something is wrong with the review here?

 

[Dro]

The preference score rating makes no sense, never did and I don't give a fuck about it. The fact that the Stealth is rated as highly as a 0 EQ HD800S should tell you everything you need to know about its accuracy.

 

[staticV3]

I agree, the Preference score algorithm has issues.
Don't look at the score, look at the actual frequency response.

 

[Pandemonium]

I agree, the Preference score algorithm has issues.
Don't look at the score, look at the actual frequency response.

The preference scoring on this list doesn't make any sense at all. Simply looking at the freq. response and distortion measurements will show that the Stealth is superior to all of those headphones listed above it. (Assuming that you agree with the Harman target response in the first place) I'm not sure how this list was created but it isn't showing which headphones are closest to the target response. I actually pointed this out on a different thread. This listing is a bit misleading and I don't understand the methodology that was used to create it.

I want to warn everybody against buying that Woo Audio headphone stand because of its sharp edges: It scratched the cables of my previous headphones so much that I had to replace them.

How could that happen? The cables aren't touching the stand. I guess if you had the height too low the cables coming out of the cups might rub up against the bottom. I'll keep your warning in mind though.

 

[Pandemonium]

The listing must be using the Harman curve without the bass shelf. That's the only way the Sundara would come out ahead.

 

[Jimbob54]

View attachment 226034
The listing must be using the Harman curve without the bass shelf. That's the only way the Sundara would come out ahead.

I have 0 technical competency but part of me wonders if deviation in the bass counts for far far less in the scoring than deviations higher up. So having a sub bass roll off affects the score far less than some misses above 2k

In this example, is the Stealth punished for the 10k dip more than the Sundara for the sub 50hz roll off?

Oh, and I would guess the scoring doesn't take into account what I assume is measurement quirks which I guess the Stealth 10k dip is.

 

[F1308]

Im still not sure what point you were trying to make with :

"don't tell me it doesn't turns out a bit strange that a headphone rated hereabouts as top notch is found down there at 29th in a headphone review analyzing dozens"

Are you suggesting something is wrong with the review here?

I am just telling that something does not match adequately in the puzzle, if any.

 

[Jimbob54]

I am just telling that something does not match adequately in the puzzle, if any.

Well, my guess is that there is something more than a bit broken about either the creation , or the interpretation, of that scoring list.

 

[F1308]

Well, my guess is that there is something more than a bit broken about either the creation , or the interpretation, of that scoring list.

Let's check it back in...December?

 

[sprellemannen]

How could that happen? The cables aren't touching the stand. I guess if you had the height too low the cables coming out of the cups might rub up against the bottom. I'll keep your warning in mind though.

On the circle's border at the same level as the logo.

 

[Jimbob54]

Let's check it back in...December?

Check what in December?

Edit, you mean the autoeq preference scoring list. With a view to it showing what? What is your point?

 

[spartaman64]

i think its probably just autogenerated based on how close the headphones is to that specific target curve. i wouldnt worry too much about it

 

[Jimbob54]

i think its probably just autogenerated based on how close the headphones is to that specific target curve. dont worry too much about it

It absolutely is

 

[sifi36]

I’m not sure how the score for Harman target compliance is calculated on that site, but just looking at the charts it’s pretty obvious it’s flawed. The chart for the Stealth has the only error of note being a couple of dB more low and sub bass than the target, everything else is +-1dB. The one exception is the deep notch around 10kHz, which is unlikely to be audible given the very narrow range of the dip, and may well simply be a measurement artefact.

The Sundara has larger errors over a broader frequency range through the midrange and low treble yet somehow manages to score substantially better.

Subjectively speaking, it is my feeling that the majority of people will find errors in the midrange and treble way more impactful than a couple of dB of extra sub bass or a sharp drop over a very narrow frequency range, especially at 10kHz.

 

[Dro]

I think it does not take into account the direction of the deviation. A relatively consistent deviation either above or below the target seems to do worse than a wobbly deviation that goes both below and above the target. So basically consistent +3 dB is rated worse than zigzagging between -2 dB and +2 dB.

 

[F1308]

Check what in December?

Edit, you mean the autoeq preference scoring list. With a view to it showing what? What is your point?

I have seen that listing go changing, nothing graved in stone.
What today is 29th might climb to 3rd or 1st...
Good night....

 

[Jimbob54]

I have seen that listing go changing, nothing graved in stone.
What today is 29th might climb to 3rd or 1st...
Good night....

Then either the base measurement changed or the algorithm used to create the score changed.

 

[F1308]

Then either the base measurement changed or the algorithm used to create the score changed.

No idea.
This is a screenshot of the changes I met...